Magic Moment
by libraryloser
Summary: James wants to set up the ultimate romantic moment and it is sure to make Lily swoon.... right? Fireworks, flowers, stars, music, and twinkly lights... why isn't anything working? Just a fluffy little comedy about love having plans you don't expect. L/J
1. Uncaught Up in the Moment

**A/N: So a quick break from my new story with this other new story, ha ha. Sorry 'bout that. Anyway, I hadn't done a chapter LJ fic yet, and I had a cute idea.**

**Uncaught Up in the Moment**

James held his wand as steadily as he could manage, his brow furrowed in concentration. It was, after all, a tricky spell.

"_Leviagua_!" he said clearly, determined to get it right. He stabbed his wand in the direction of the black lake, and quite suddenly, a water spout appeared in the middle, splashing over and over like a fountain.

"Very nice," Remus said.

Sirius held up a piece of parchment, which had been folded and unfolded until its creases were worn to tearing point. "Fountain: check," he read, scratching a check mark on the list with his quill. "Next is romantic lighting. Twinkly sort."

"It really says 'twinkly sort' on the list?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Yes. If Prongs is going to have the most perfect romantic moment with Lily, there must be twinkle lights!"

"Fine, twinkle lights," Remus said shaking his head. "I can transfigure bowtruckles into fairies, but I haven't the slightest idea where to get those."

"I'm on it!" Sirius said excitedly, bounding across the grounds towards the forbidden forest.

"Oh no," Remus groaned, staring after him.

"Don't worry about him," James said. "We only have half an hour left before sunset, and everyone knows sunset is the most romantic time of day. If Lily is goin to fall madly in love with me, it will be at sunset, I just know. Now I need you to cover the grounds in daffodils while I catch some fireflies."

"Why don't you just cover the ground in lilies? Lilies for Lily."

James sighed impatiently. "Because _everyone_ knows that daffodils are her favorite flower. Keep up." He stalked off towards a keep of hedges by the lake to catch some fireflies.

"Oh, of course _everyone _knows," Remus muttered as he waved his wand vaguely at the ground. A tiny patch of yellow flowers appeared at his feet. He stared out across the vast, sweeping grounds of Hogwarts and groaned again. This was going to take forever.

Twenty minutes later, when Remus had managed to sparsely cover a good portion of the area in daffodils, James and Sirius came running at him, panting.

"Alright," James gasped. "I have the fireflies." He held up a jar containing a handful of blinking bugs.

"James, there are like five bugs in there," Remus pointed out.

James glared. "These little blighters are wily, ok? I'd like to see you catch more."

"Why do you need them, anyway?"

Sirius and James gave him exasperated looks. "Because," Sirius said, "Fireflies are _romantic_. Here. I knicked these from Kettleburn." He shoved a cardboard box into Remus's arms.

"You can't steal bowtruckles from a teacher!" Remus shook his head and eyed the quivering box and opened it apprehensively. A little twig-like sprite flew out, which James snatched out of the air with the skill of a seasoned quidditch player. "You're letting them get away!"

The three boys worked quickly to transfigure the bowtruckles into fairies and freeze them in the air. By the time they had finished, the sun was beginning to set.

"Alright, Padfoot, do you have the list?"

Sirius pulled out the worn parchment again. "Fountain: check. Twinkly lights," he glances around at the fairies and fireflies. "Check. Flowers: check. Sunset: we're getting there. Looks like it's all here for the perfect romantic moment."

"Great," James said with a grin. "Now you two hide somewhere. Lily will be here any minute!"

Remus and Sirius jogged towards the shrubs where James had found the fireflies and pushed their way to the center of the growth, where they crouched down.

James paced back and forth for a few minutes, nervously noting that the sun was going to completely disappear if that girl didn't hurry. He glanced at the shrubbery where he knew Sirius and Remus were hiding and shrugged. He thought he saw the bush wiggle a little in response when he heard soft but brisk footfalls behind him.

"Alright, Potter, I got your owl," came the apprehensive voice of his favorite person in the world. He turned to Lily and observed that she was tapping her foot in annoyance. "What is this dire emergency prefect meeting for, when you're not even a prefect? And why are we the only ones here?"

James had rather hoped she would have thrown herself into his arms instead of being all logical, but he quickly recovered. "Those are all valid questions, Lily. The real question is, have you looked around and noticed anything?" He grinned hopefully.

She gave him a puzzled look before glancing around the grounds. "There are a lot of bugs out tonight," she observed. "And it looks like the groundskeeper will have to tend to the lake; it's having a fit."

James dropped his jaw in disbelief. "You haven't noticed how romantic it is? It's sunset, for crying out loud!"

"Which means we really shouldn't be out of our dorms," she said, giving him a stern look. "Goodnight, Potter." She turned away, flipping her red hair behind her, and walked towards the castle.

James stared after her with his mouth agape. He glanced back at the shrub, where Sirius and Remus had emerged and were giving him bewildered looks.

James turned away and watched Lily leave, his face full of disappointment. She only stopped once, to pick a dainty daffodil and tuck the flower behind her ear with a tiny smile.

The other boys appeared at James's side. "Sorry mate," Sirius said, patting his back roughly.

"It's alright," James said with determination. "I'll just try something else."


	2. The Damsel Undistressed

**The Damsel Undistressed**

James quickly recovered from his failure the previous night and reassembled his troops in the boy's dorm the next morning. "Okay, the plan is to do a whole 'damsel in distress' approach."

"Right."

"Remus, you lead Lily into the forest to do something responsible."

By that time, Remus had resigned himself to playing along. "I'll tell her that we're gathering potions ingredients on Slughorn's orders."

"Right, then you disappear somehow."

"I'll bring the cloak."

"Then a fearsome beast appears! Do we have any fearsome beasts?"

Remus shrugged. "It's the forbidden forest. We have loads."

"Do we have any that only _appear_ fearsome?"

"Woof," answered Sirius from the corner.

"Perfect. Then I jump out, slay the beast, and win the fair lady's heart!"

"Oh yes, it's foolproof," Remus said flatly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

James's mood could not be dampened. "I know!"

Hours later, Remus and Lily could be found trudging down a path in the forbidden forest.

"I'm certain we're lost," Lily said nervously.

"No, I know where we are. I've been here loads of times."

"You have?" She narrowed her eyes. "But it's off limits."

Remus gulped. "Potions ingredients for Slughorn."

Lily seemed to accept this answer. "I still think it's irresponsible of him to send students out here."

"Yes, well, Slughorn isn't the most prudent man."

They walked in silence for a few moments more when they heard a growl.

"Was that you?" Lily squealed.

"Was what me?" Remus asked, feigning ignorance to the sound.

Lily's eyes widened in fear. "I think I heard something."

Remus just blinked, unconcerned. "I think I dropped my wand. Can I borrow yours?"

"Why don't I just summon it for you?"

He thought fast. "Because wizards can only summon their own wands, not anyone else's."

"Oh, I've never heard that before. Then I suppose." Lily handed Remus her wand and waited. "Well?"

"I think I dropped it over here…" he wandered behind a tree.

"Well, why don't you just summon it?"

Remus didn't reply.

"Remus?" Lily walked around the tree he had gone behind, but he had already disappeared. "Remus?!" she squeaked, fear gripping at her every nerve.

She looked around in panic and began to run back up the trail towards the castle. Wandless and alone, her mind raced to all the things she had heard lurked in the forest. Centaurs, manticores, even werewolves…

At that moment she heard another growl and froze in terror. She had stopped in a small clearing and peered into the darkness that surrounded the grassy patch. "Remus?" she tried again.

At that moment, a huge black dog appeared on the edge of the clearing. It snarled, snapping its fangs at her threateningly. However, the dog did not receive the reaction it had been expecting.

Lily clapped her hand over her heart and laughed. "Gracious, I thought you were a werewolf, but you're just a lost doggie!" She walked up to the dog, who had been caught off guard and stopped snarling, and she began to scratch behind its ears.

The dog softened under her touch and began to grunt appreciatively. "You have very soft hair for a stray dog," Lily cooed. The dog flopped down beside her for easier petting.

Rather unexpectedly, James Potter leapt out from behind a tree, yelling like a maniac. "_Get away from her, foul beast_!" He brandished his wand at the dog, who was now drooling as Lily rubbed his stomach.

James froze in confusion as Lily looked at him in surprise.

"James Potter, what on earth are you doing in the forest?"

"I came to save you," he said, attempting to sound very noble.

"I'm not in any danger."

"Yes you are! That dog!" but his reply came out feebly because the dog was wagging its tail happily, its tongue lolling out.

"You're a sodding idiot, James Potter."

James resignedly nodded.

"Do you know how to get out of here?"

James nodded again.

"Good. Now walk me back to the castle, if you are so determined to save me from a tamed house pet."

It was perhaps fortunate that the animal-loving Lily did not see James's several attempts to kick the apologetic dog that waddled beside them on the way back.

**A/N: Please review! Next chapter up soon!**


	3. Starstruck Out

**A/N: This is probably going to be a pretty short fic. I think there are only going to be a couple more chapters. Anyway, I know the chapters are shorter, but I don't think they need to be as in depth as some other stories do.**

**Not So Starstruck**

It was several months later when James decided to take another whack at making a romantic moment with Lily. The grounds were covered with a thick blanket of snow, and when he saw how the sun made the snow shine like a thousand diamonds, he felt another idea coming on.

"Remus, you said there was going to be a meteor shower in a couple of days, right?"

"Yes, it's supposed to be two days before we leave for Christmas holiday."

"Spiffing. Do you know how to make cocoa?"

"Yes. Who doesn't?"

"Nevermind."

"You don't know how to make cocoa, James?"

"I am not going to dignify that with a response."

"I can't believe you can't make cocoa. It's just water and chocolate and—"

"Shut up Remus! I know how to make cocoa! But I just need you to make it for me this one time."

"Only if you admit that you can't do it yourself."

"I will just have a house elf do it."

"Fine, I'll do it."

"Thank you."

Two nights later, James led Lily out the front door of the castle.

"James, if there really is an injured thestral in the forest, you should be alerting Hagrid, not me."

James once again found himself thinking quickly. "I did, but he needed help…ummm… with feeding it."

"I can't imagine why he couldn't do it himself."

James didn't even bother thinking of an answer. "It sure is beautiful out here tonight. Look at how the moon makes the snow sparkle, Lily."

Lily found herself caught off guard by this sensitivity coming from James. She gave him a puzzled look. "It's pretty cold out, though. We should hurry and get to Hagrid's."

James couldn't think of any more excuses. He sighed. "There isn't really an injured thestral. I just wanted to bring you out here."

Lily froze in her tracks, looking outraged. "James Potter!"

"Only because it's so pretty out!"

"You mean you dragged me out here, when I could be studying, in the freezing cold, wet snow, just because it is pretty!?"

James just pointed at the sky, where hundreds of shooting stars had appeared as the meteor shower began.

But Lily didn't even look up. "I can't believe you, Potter," she spat. With that, she turned around on her heel and stormed towards the castle.

"But I made cocoa," he said weakly at her retreating back.

Lily didn't even hear him.


	4. Missing the Fireworks

**A/N: Sorry it took so long! I've been gone!**

**Missing the Fireworks**

"If this doesn't work, I'm pretty sure you should give up."

"It will work."

"But if it doesn't… you know there is a chance it won't…"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Remus."

James and Remus and Peter were on the top of the astronomy tower making final preparations for James's last ditch attempt at wooing Lily. Peter was sweeping the floor while Remus set a table with the Potter's finest china, which James had owled home for. James was prodding at a large, knob-covered box with his wand.

"Why won't this bloody contraption work?" he said, poking it violently so that sparks flew out the back.

Remus sighed as he folded a napkin into the shape of a swan. "I told you a million times. You can't use muggle electric equipment in Hogwarts because there is too much magic here."

"But that's Peter's cousin's radio… so it's made by wizards!" James said indignantly. "Where did you say your cousin got this thing, Wormtail?"

"It fell off the back of a truck."

"See?" James said. "It's legit."

Remus shook his head and went to help fix the radio. By the time Sirius showed up, about forty-five minutes later, the sun had set and the radio was pumping out the sultry sounds of Barry White.

"How did your little project go, Sirius?"

"Great," he said with a wink. "Lily will be swept off her feet this time."

"Perfect." James placed a little vase of daffodils in the middle of the table. Peter reappeared shortly, having gone to the kitchens to get two plates of spaghetti, and set them neatly on the table.

"You guys go now. Wormtail, you send Lily up here. Just tell her that I am up to something in the astronomy tower and she will come marching right up to give me detention. And When I give the signal—"

"What's the signal again?" Sirius asked.

"I will say 'Lily-flower, I have been waiting for you,' and then you start the fireworks."

"Right."

The boys, except James, left the tower in a scramble to do their jobs. James sat patiently, grinning to himself. He could not have planned this out any better.

After what seemed like an agonizing wait, he heard the patter of small feet storming up the stairs. He took a deep breath, and as the door creaked open, he stood and said grandly, "Lily-flower! I have been…"

But James trailed off, for the woman in the doorway was not Lily Evans. It was Professor McGonagall. And she was mad.

"Potter! What is the meaning of this? Out after hours, stolen food…?!" Her eyes bugged out as a loud crash resounded and the sky lit up with the most impressive display of fireworks Hogwarts had seen.

"Potter!" she screeched again. Then she narrowed her eyes. "And what is this awful music?" She leaned forward to catch a line of the song.

_Oh no no… it's ecstasy… yeah… when you're laying down next to me…_

The professors eyes widened again, perhaps larger than before, if that is possible.

_Don't wanna control you just to have a good time…_

The professor spluttered and turned bright red. "Completely inappropriate! Det-detention, P-potter. Get to bed, now!" James didn't need more convincing. "And you too, Mr. Black!" McGonagall snapped. They heard Sirius swear from the balcony below. James turned and headed out the door, where he ran into Peter.

"I'm so sorry, Prongs. I told Lily you were up to something on the astronomy tower and she just went to McGonagall instead of coming up herself!"

"I noticed," James growled.

They were joined by Sirius and Remus on the landing below.

"Bad luck, mate," Sirius said, patting James roughly on the shoulder.

Remus was wearing an insufferable 'I told you so' look. "Are you going to give up on her?"

James shrugged. "I guess there's nothing else to try."

They walked in somber silence all the way to the common room.

Lily was waiting up on the couch when they got there. She looked quite upset.

"Tattletale," James said.

"That was mature," Lily sniffed back.

The others, sensing a row, quickly disappeared up the stairs.

James wanted to follow them. He turned to the pursed-lipped girl on the couch and smirked. "Well, you've had your fun. I'm going to bed so I can be well rested for my detention tomorrow. And Evans…"

"Yes?"

"You missed some great fireworks." James grinned and swaggered up the stairs.

Shortly after he arrived in his dorm, Frank Longbottom opened the door with a self-satisfied grin.

"Been in Alice's room, haven't you?' Sirius said to their dorm mate.

"Yes, and wait till you hear what I found out!"

All of the boy's ears peaked with interest.

Frank continued. "Lily Evans was crying to Alice because apparently she heard from Peter that you, James, had a girl in the astronomy tower tonight and you even set up a fireworks display. Everyone's talking about it. Nice one."

James rounded on Peter. "You told her I had a girl up there?"

"Well, I said you were 'up to something.' And everyone knows the only thing you get 'up to' in the astronomy tower is… well, you know."

James had a blank look on his face for a moment. "That… is… fantastic!" His face broke into a huge grin and his friends were startled.

"Fantastic?"

"Lily Evans was jealous that I had a girl up there, and she didn't want to see so she sent up the professor! I still have a chance!"

James bound out of the room, leaving his friends in stunned silence.

It was Peter who broke the silence. "Wait until Lily finds out that the only girl James had up there was Professor McGonagall."

**A/N: I know this is a lot shorter than most of myt fics, but it's just a light summer read. Please review!**


	5. Romancing the Rat Spleen

**A/N: As soon as I've finished this, I will get back to Sheepsuit. Promise!**

**Romancing the Rat Spleen**

The next evening, James trudged down to the dungeon of the school rather unhappily. This detention was going to be two wasted hours that he could have spent planning the most perfect moment for Lily to fall in love with him. He sighed as he came to the door of the dungeon, where he met Professor McGonagall. Upon his arrival, her lips pressed themselves into a thinner line than James had ever seen.

"You and Miss Evans will be scrubbing all of the school cauldrons this evening. No magic. The second years just finished stewing rat spleens in them, so it should be a real treat for you."

James nodded dully before looking up so quickly that his neck cricked. "Miss Evans is, too? I mean… Lily?"

"Yes, Potter, if Miss Evans had not been out after hours as well, then how was it possible for her to turn you in?"

James had not thought about that before, having assumed that Peter must have found Lily in her dorm to tell her what was going on. He suddenly felt very terrible for dragging her into this mess, and apprehensive about spending two hours alone with an angry Lily.

"Professor, don't you think you should take our wands? I mean, just to make sure we don't use magic?"

The Professor shook her head. "We're on the honors system here, Potter. I will be forced to trust you not to use your wand."

"Gee… that's great," he said, attempting a smile. Two hours alone with an _armed _and angry Lily.

He trudged into the dungeon and found that Lily hadn't arrived yet. There was a table with two chairs pressed against the dark stone wall, surrounded by a large stack of cauldrons. The dank smell of mildew in the walls was heavily overpowered by the rotting smell coming from the rusted cauldrons, and James had to breathe through his mouth to keep from gagging.

Lily arrived a few moments later. For a second, she looked at James as though she were about to breath fire at him, but when she took a deep breath to start hollering, she gagged on the fumes in the air.

"_Potter,_" she gasped. "_You are a dead _IDIOT!"

James cringed. "Sorry, I really had no idea that you would get in trouble, too."

"You fed me some cock-and-bull story about you being up on the astronomy tower just to lure me out of the dorms after hours! I can't believe I fell for it!"

"It's not like that…"

"Oh, and I bet that's what all of this stuff has been about! Dragging me out in the middle of the night because you think the snow is pretty… having your friend lure me into the forbidden forest and leaving me there… you've been trying to make me look dumb and get me in trouble!" She huffily sat down in one of the chairs and a puff of dust rose up around her. "Yeeaurgh!" she groaned as she peeked into one of the cauldrons. "What is this stuff?"

"Stewed rat spleens," James said miserably.

She gave him an incredulous look. "Rat spleens! _Rat spleens_?! James Potter, I_ hate_ you!"

And with that, she set to scrubbing the nastiness from inside the first cauldron.

James nervously took a seat beside her and picked up a rag and another cauldron, glancing inside and shuddering. After a few moments of tense silence (besides the occasional "yuk!" and moaning) James decided to speak.

"I'm really sorry Lily."

She didn't respond besides scrubbing more forcefully.

"I didn't mean for you to get in trouble."

"Hmph!"

He sighed, deciding just to tell the truth, as she couldn't get any madder at him. "You were right about part of it though, this was all a set up."

She didn't look up from her task, but he saw a bitter look of triumph sweep her features.

"I set this all up thinking that if we had the perfect romantic moment, then you would fall in love with me like some princess in some story. I wanted to sweep you off your feet."

Lily made an angry noise. "You wanted me to fall on love with you so you could make fun of me?!"

James almost dropped his cauldron. "No! Not to make fun of you! Never that! Because I… I fancy you!"

Lily actually did drop her cauldron, which broke in half. "Are you mocking me, James Potter?"

"What?"

"You found out I like you so you and your friends decided to set this up and have a good laugh about it?"

"You like me?" James said, unable to believe his ears.

"No."

They stood there silently for a moment, Lily glaring defensively and James looking unabashedly hopeful. He made a move towards her, but all he managed to do was snag his jeans on the edge of the broken cauldron and cut his leg.

"Perfect," he muttered, unhooking his pants from the shard and glancing at the cut, which was slowly seeping into his sock.

"You okay?" Lily said, her tone suggesting that she was concerned against her will.

James shrugged. "Just a scratch. I've had worse. Are you okay?"

Lily did look kind of pale. "Blood makes me queasy," she squeaked.

James dropped his pant leg to cover up the redness. "All better," he smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

Lily looked at him questioningly. "That was… sweet of you."

"If you weren't so determined to hate me, you might see that I try to be sweet most of the time. At least to you."

She gave him a sidelong glance. "Do you promise you weren't making fun of me with all this stuff?"

He nodded. "I meant what I said. I wanted to set up a perfect moment so you would finally see me as a prince charming instead of a frog. You know… fountains, twinkle lights, fireworks, music… I guess I did pretty miserably."

Lily shrugged. "I don't think it would have been so bad… I just didn't know what was supposed to be happening." She looked at him and sighed as though she were letting go of something she had been holding on to for a very long time. James hoped it was her dislike for him.

He glanced around the room, having quite forgotten about his injured leg. "We should probably make some progress on these cauldrons, huh?"

Lily nodded and lowered herself back onto her seat. James picked up the cauldron he had been working on, and together they scrubbed in silence, deep in their thoughts.

James just sat there wondering when his next chance would be. Perhaps after their discussion, Lily would be more open to his efforts. Perhaps she would recognize them as more than a game, but as an honest attempt at her heart.

Lily's mind was turning furiously. At the time, She had barely noticed the atmospheres that James had set up for her. Now that she thought back, they were all very sweet, and if she had been looking properly, she would have recognized each scenario as perfectly romantic. Shooting stars on a snowy night? Being rescued in the forest by a handsome quidditch player? Dinner under the stars with fireworks? How could she have missed it? She sighed, disappointed with herself.

"You okay?" James asked quietly.

"Just thinking."

He didn't pry, and Lily hid a small smile behind her cauldron.

It was harder to recognize without the twinkley-lights, but what neither of them realized was that their perfect romantic moment had already come and gone, and Lily _had_ fallen for James. Neither one of them expected a moldy, black dungeon surrounded by rusty pots of rat spleen to be more effective than any plot of James's, but Lily Evans was officially swept off her feet.

The End

**A/N: Cute? Let me know what you think. Perhaps when I finish my other story I'll come through and revamp this one slightly, but it's done for now and I hope you liked it! Review!**


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